This bloating is RIDICULOUS!!!!!

SKZ · 11-09-2007, 05:59 PM

Hi there,
I had an upper endoscopyin early Oct. and was found to have Grade A Esophagitis. The Dr. put me on Aciphex and it worked great. Now my insurance company says it will not pay for Aciphex and I need to try the other PPIs first to save them money. I was on the Aciphex for about 5 weeks and was really liking it. The Dr's office has sent me some samples of PROTONIX and PREVACID. My Dr's office told me to try the PROTONIX first for 2 weeks and if that doesnt work well, try the PREVACID for the next 2 weeks. If those do not work (I already tried PRILOSEC awhile ago and total bloating and constipation). I have taken a grand total of 2 days worth of PROTONIX. Oh my God, the bloating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I am having heartburn which I had none of while on the ACIPHEX. Does the bloating go away? because I am seriously not going to live with this bloating. Its too much. I forgot to mention that for the last 15 yrs. I have had bad chronic sinusitis. I am sure the GERD is related to all that. I am hoping that once I get the GERD under control that i might improve with the sinuses. I am just getting over a nightmare sinus infection, and this changing of GERD meds is not helping one bit with this side effect of bloating. The Dr's office said that if the side effects got too bad to switch to the PREVACID and if those got too bad also, they would tell the insurance company that I need the ACIPHEX. I am not liking this at all. Any feedback would be appreciated.

janewhite1 · 11-09-2007, 10:20 PM

Aciphex made me horribly nauseous all the time, Prilosec worked fine for me.

Different drugs for different folks, eh?

SKZ · 11-09-2007, 10:30 PM

I guess I am going to have to try the Protonix for at least a week and then the other one for that long, too....in order for the Dr. to inform the insurance company that I need the Aciphex. What a pain!

Texas Tomato · 11-09-2007, 11:33 PM

Hi, SKZ --

Are you sure it's the PPI that's causing the bloating? Were you on antibiotics for your sinus infection? If you read some of my previous posts, you'll see that I too had a severe sinus infection and was treated with a six-week (!!!) course of antibiotics. I'm convinced the antibiotics caused all my digestive problems, including bloating so bad that I couldn't breathe. It felt like my lungs and diaphragm wouldn't expand. Not to mention the constant belching.

I didn't know about taking probiotics and acidophilus and eating yogurt until I found this board, but since I've started doing that, I've gradually improved. Still not completely normal, but better than I was during the summer. It was in May that I took the antibiotics, and now here it is November and I"m just now remembering what it is to feel good. I've read other members' accounts here also where their regimen of antibiotics caused a bacterial imbalance that took a long time to "right" itself.

The other thing that's helped is taking fiber supplements and Beano before meals. Hope this helps.

SKZ · 11-10-2007, 12:02 PM

I stoped taking the antibiotics a few weeks ago, but have been avidly taking priobiotics this whole time and was fine. This same thing happened when I took PRILOSEC. I think what is going on is that my digestion is all slowed down due to less stomach acid. I tend to have slow digestion anyway and this is just making it 10x worse. I really want to get back on the ACIPHEX, which I know I ultimately will do, but I have to play out this moronic insurance issue with the other meds.